Shlemiel Crooks (ISBN 158838165X)

Wonderful!:
A delightful book in every way. Lyrically written and lavishly illustrated, Shlemiel Crooks weaves together the Passover story, old St. Louis and gentle humor to produce a "read it again" story.

No luck, except for readers:
Here's a delightful story, based on a true event, of the theft of a wagon load of Passover wine from a little Jewish grocer in Cincinatti in 1919. In case you didn't know, a shelmiel is a luckless and inept fool, lacking enough sense even to change himself (however slightly) for the better. But the reader of this book will have a lot of luck, even if the chief culprits have none. Besides from offering a great story, this beautifully illustrated picture book is a good reminder of the historical presence of Jewish Americans throughout the U.S., in many capacities. It's been a while since I bought any new picture books, but if I were still buying them, this one would definitely be on my list.

Review of "Shlemiel Crooks" by Anna Olswanger:
There is music in the story. One can clearly visualize the story and the characters. I loved it. Thanks.

Funny as all getout!:
Beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written, just full of charm. Very inventive and sure to please. A wonderful way to entertain your child and introduce them to the Yiddish venacular...hilarious and heartwarming all at once!